By: Deborah Johnson Wood
This week, the West Michigan Strategic Alliance announced it will launch The West Michigan Green Jobs Regional Skills Alliance to prepare West Michigan workers for jobs in the burgeoning alternative energy industry. The RSA will focus on jobs needed to manufacture the components for renewable energy equipment, such as solar panels, and on jobs for workers at alternative energy power plants.
“Alternative energy really is a source of growth for West Michigan that will re-engage our manufacturing capability,” says Greg Northrup, WMSA president.
The RSA will begin with a group of employers, manufacturing councils, colleges, and Michigan Works! agencies throughout Kent, Ottawa, Montcalm, Muskegon, Ionia, Newaygo, Barry and Allegan counties to:
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Determine the skills sets workers need to get ‘green’ jobs.
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Conduct a ‘green’ jobs market analysis for West Michigan.
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Set specific objectives with a timeline and budget to achieve them.
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Work with educational institutions to provide education and skills training for workers.
The 2007 Alternative and Renewable Energy Cluster Analysis estimated that by 2012, West Michigan could capture some $800 million through the manufacture of alternative energy components and create some 4,250 jobs.
“Michigan was the 25th or 26th state to pass a Renewable Portfolio Standard, a little behind the curve,” Northrup notes. “If we can start to develop wind turbines on shore and the opportunities for them offshore there’s a pretty significant opportunity to start a new industry and put jobs back into the economy.”
A $20,000 Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth grant will fund the development of the RSA.
Source: Greg Northrup, West Michigan Strategic Alliance
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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